Why are Teens Eating so Badly?
Several factors of the average teens life must come into play to find the explanation. “There is no one reason, otherwise fixing the problem would be easy,” Burke says. “The main factors that affect a teen’s diet can be found at school, at home and in their lifestyle. Oftentimes it is not just one factor but a combination of two or more that attribute to a teen’s poor diet.” Vending machines and fast food venues in school cafeterias, combined with the minimal amount of time teens have for lunch, contributes to the problem. “The school cafeterias are bringing in outside vendors — not just vending machines, but fast food outlets now have a place in school cafeterias as well,” says Burke. “A lot of schools actually have Pizza Hut, they have Dominos and they have Burger King and so on in the schools themselves. Add in the aspect of the decrease in time that teens have for lunch — some have as little as 15 minutes for lunch. They are using vending machines as they are quicker and offer a
